Stocking Stuffers
by Goddess Isa
Summary: first ins eries - It’s the night before Christmas, the night before Xander’s wedding, and stuff happens. =)
1. Default Chapter

TITLE: Stocking Stuffers  
AUTHOR: Goddess Isa  
EMAIL: goddessisa@aol.com  
SUMMARY: It's the night before Christmas, the night before Xander's wedding, and stuff happens. =)   
RATING: TV-PG  
SPOILER: Slight spoiler for the 12/19 eppy of Buffy  
DISCLAIMER: Everyone belongs to Joss. I belong to no one. Heehee. I love being all powerful.  
WEBSITE: http://planetslaythis.homestead.com  
AUTHOR'S NOTES: This is a one-shot. So there.  
DEDICATION: Justin Randall Timberlake, for restoring my faith in men. Sort of.  
12/23/00  
  
  
  
"I look at you," Samuel said sincerely, "And I see love. I look at you and I see my future."  
  
  
"Are you watching Felicity so you can pawn Javier and Samuel's wedding vows off as your own?" Willow asked, smiling as she came into the living room with a mug of coffee in each hand.  
  
"No," Xander said defensively, accepting his. "I just wanted to look at Keri Russell."  
  
"Just last week, you said she makes your skin crawl."  
  
"She does, but in a good way."  
  
"Kind of like Anya?" Willow teased.  
  
Xander smiled instantly at the mere mention of her name. "Not anymore."  
  
"It's strange," Willow sat beside him on the couch. "You used to sleep over my house all the time when we were kids. Especially at Christmas."  
  
"I remember."  
  
"And you're sleeping over tonight, and........"  
  
"And?" Xander pressed.  
  
"And I know it's the last time," she finished quietly. "And I'm sad."  
  
"You don't know that it's the last time."  
  
"You're getting *married*, Xander."  
  
"So?" he wrapped an arm around her shoulders and hugged her. "Just because I'm married, that doesn't mean I'll never sleep over. What about research parties?"  
  
"We never have those anymore," Willow said. "Not since Buffy went all Bimbo Slayer on us."  
  
"Yeah, but we will now that Fish Boy's history." Xander smiled.  
  
"I hope so," Willow brightened up.   
  
"And what if there's an earthquake?" Xander asked. "We'll have to hide in your doorway."  
  
"Why?" Willow laughed. "What's wrong with your doorways?"  
  
"Nothing, but yours are wider."  
  
"Remember," Willow leaned her head on his shoulder, "When we were kids and you spent Christmas at my house and my mom asked you what you were getting in your stocking?"  
  
Xander nodded, smiling. "It was the only Christmas tradition she really knew anything about."  
  
"And when you told her you didn't even have a stocking, she couldn't believe it."  
  
"She went to Wal-Mart even though it was eleven p.m." Xander smiled. "She bought us each a stocking and filled them with candy and Matchbox cars."  
  
"I still have all of mine," Willow said. "That was the only time I've ever known her to *go* to Wal-Mart."  
  
"That was one of the nicest things anybody's ever done for me, Will." he blinked away tears. "I love those stockings."  
  
"Me too," Willow whispered. "Xander?"  
  
"Yeah?"  
  
"Merry Christmas."  
  
"Happy Hanukkah."  
  
"Thank you." she pulled a blanket over the two of them and they drifted off to sleep.  
  
"Love you, Will," he mumbled before passing out from nervous exhaustion.  
  
"Love you, too."  
  
  
*****  
  
  
The next morning was a hectic Christmas as usual. Everyone went over to Buffy's for dinner, then to the Church for Xander and Anya's midnight wedding. After that, they headed over where it all began, Sunnydale High School, to celebrate until Xander and Anya's plane left Christmas Day at six a.m.  
  
"Xander," Willow approached him around two-thirty, "I've got a tote bag Anya wants to take with her to take souvenirs home in, but it's at my apartment."  
  
Xander sighed. "I'll go with you to get it."  
  
"Great. Come on."  
  
Willow chattered on the entire drive to her and Tara's apartment. When they got there, Willow opened the door and let Xander in first.  
  
He gasped when he saw the tiny tree they used to celebrate with as kids set up in the center of the room. Beside it on the wall were the two stockings from when they were kids, plus identical ones for Tara and Anya.  
  
"Will--"  
  
"Surprise!" Anya came in behind them with everyone else. "Are you surprised?"  
  
"I'm....."  
  
"This is my wedding gift to you guys," Willow said. "The tree and the ornaments and the stockings. Congratulations."  
  
Xander was speechless. He just stood there in awe until Anya finally wrapped her arms around him and gave him a big kiss.  
  
"I love you," she whispered. "And I love your friends. I can tell how much this means to you."  
  
Xander just kissed her back.  
  
"Open your stockings, you guys," Tara said enthusiastically.  
  
Anya tore at hers like a little girl. She beamed when she saw the contents.  
"How did you know I love Whatchamacallits?" she asked, tearing into one and eating it in two bites.  
  
Xander was more reserved with his, checking out the familiar chocolate orange, the caramel Santas and his favorite, dark chocolate Stars of David. He dumped the rest of the contents out and shrieked.  
  
"Matchbox Cars!" Anya squealed. "I love these things!" she looked at Willow. "How did you know?"  
  
"I just did," she shrugged.  
  
"Thank you," Xander whispered.  
  
Willow could only nod.  
  
  
*****  
  
  
Later, when the happy couple was on their way to the airport, Buffy was helping Willow clean up when she noticed her best friend crying.  
  
"Will?" she rushed over to her. "You okay?"  
  
"Yeah," she rubbed her nose with a paper towel. "I guess I just always thought I'd be Xander's wife."  
  
"I'm sorry, Will."  
  
"Don't be. Look how happy he was. And all I gave them was a tree and some stocking stuffers."  
  
"It wasn't the stuff you gave him, Will," Buffy pointed out. "It was *why* you gave them to him."  
  
"I don't know what you mean."  
  
"When Xander gets back from Hawaii, I'm pretty sure he'll explain it to you."  
  
"Okay. I can wait." she turned the water on to start the dishes. "Buffy?"  
  
"Yeah?"  
  
"He *does* love her, right?"  
  
"More than I ever woulda thought."  
  
"Okay. Just making sure. Buffy?"  
"Yeah?"  
  
"Think he'll divorce her?"  
  
Buffy smiled. "Five years, tops."  
  
"That's what I wanted to hear."  
  
"That's why I said it."  
  
"You're the best, Buffy."  
  
"I try."  
  
"Wanna give me a Christmas present now?"  
"I already did," Buffy looked confused. "You said you loved the watch."  
  
"I do, but I need something else."  
  
"What?"  
  
"Go kiss Angel."  
  
"WHAT?"  
  
"Just do it."  
  
"Well I wasn't gonna argue...." Buffy mumbled before setting off the complete the given task.


	2. Mistletoe

TITLE: Mistletoe  
AUTHOR: Goddess Isa  
EMAIL: goddessisa@aol.com  
SUMMARY: Buffy has a special task she MUST complete  
RATING: TV-PG  
SPOILER: Sequel to Stocking Stuffers, found at http://planetslaythishollydays.homestead.com  
DISCLAIMER: Everyone belongs to Joss. I belong to no one. Heehee. I love being all powerful.  
WEBSITE: http://planetslaythis.homestead.com  
AUTHOR'S NOTES: This is a one-shot that's a sequel. Don't question my motives when I'm actually writing, all right?  
DEDICATION: Justin Randall Timberlake, for restoring my faith in men. Sort of.  
12/23/00  
  
  
  
"Wait," Buffy stopped back by the counter before heading into the living room. "Gotta have props."  
  
Willow smiled when she saw the mistletoe in her best friend's hand. "Good luck."  
  
"Muchas gracias."  
  
"Hey, you passed Spanish!" Willow said enthusiastically.  
  
"Not exactly," Buffy smirked. "But I didn't fail."  
  
The Slayer eyed the men before entering the living room. She needed a distraction to rid herself of the others.  
  
"Giles," Buffy said, "Willow wants to know if you want the last piece of wedding cake. She was gonna throw it out."  
  
Spike, Wesley and Gunn all bolted for the kitchen.  
  
"Giles," Buffy made a face.  
  
"I'm not hungry," he said, picking up a book.  
  
"Yes. You. Are."  
  
The Watcher disappeared and Angel never moved from behind his Ancient Text of Something Boring. Buffy took the book out of his hands, plopped in his lap and held the mistletoe over his head.  
  
"Merry Kissmas," she said. "Get it? Kissmas. You gotta kiss me now."  
  
"Buffy, I don't think this is the--"  
  
"Kiss. Me."  
  
"Buffy--"  
  
"KISS ME, dammit, or I'll tell Cordelia you're doubling her salary."  
  
Buffy had never really figured Angel for the cheap type, but it worked. He kissed her like he hadn't since their "forgotten day", the one she wasn't supposed to remember but never forgot. The reason she'd started dating Riley all came crashing back at her and she pulled away from Angel and slapped him as hard as she possibly could.  
  
"What the HELL was that for?"  
  
"THAT was for you." she climbed off of him and went into the kitchen, slamming the door behind her.  
  
"What'd I do?" he asked the room.  
  
"You didn't tell her about the forgotten day!" Cordy shouted from the bedroom where she was laying down, recovering from morning sickness that never went away.  
  
"Is she STILL pissed about that?" Angel asked.  
  
Giles slid open the doorwall that separated the kitchen and living room. "Of course, you bloody moron. She'll never get over it because YOU lied to her."  
  
"I gotta make it up to her," he said, panicked. "How? How can I do that?"  
  
"Write her a poem," Wesley suggested.  
  
"Or a sognejngnd." Gunn added.  
  
"A WHAT?" Angel asked.  
  
"A song," he said after swallowing.  
  
"That's a great idea," Angel jumped up and started looking for his coat. "That's just what I'll do, I'll write her a song, then she'll have to forgive me.."  
  
"You're babbling," Tara told him, coming into the room.  
  
"I'm gonna write Buffy a song," he said proudly before leaving.  
  
"He knows the sun's up, right?" she asked.  
  
"Let him get a sunburn," Buffy said before going into the bedroom to kick Cordelia off the bed.  
  
  
  
  



	3. I Don’t Wanna Spend One More Christmas W...

TITLE: I Don't Wanna Spend One More Christmas Without You  
AUTHOR: Goddess Isa  
EMAIL: goddessisa@aol.com  
SUMMARY: Buffy has a special task she MUST complete  
RATING: TV-PG  
SPOILER: Sequel to Mistletoe, which is the sequel to Stocking Stuffers. Both can be found at http://planetslaythishollydays.homestead.com  
DISCLAIMER: Everyone belongs to Joss. I belong to no one. Heehee. I love being all powerful. Lyrics are by my babies, my boys, my secret lovers, *NSYNC  
WEBSITE: http://planetslaythis.homestead.com  
AUTHOR'S NOTES: This is the last story in this series, the last story I'm writing tonight, the last everything. I'm tired and hungry and I wanna blast my Californication CD and forget it's about to be Christmas, okay? Thank you for your patience.  
DEDICATION: Justin Randall Timberlake, for restoring my faith in men. Sort of.  
12/23/00  
  
  
"Well," Buffy said as she stumbled out of the bedroom into the kitchen. "This is the first Christmas ever that my first thought is of coffee."  
  
Willow handed her a mug and smiled. "Your mom's out of town for the first time ever, kind of puts that whole presents thing in a new perspective."  
  
"Considering I got mine a month ago when Mom got a clean bill of health, I think Christmas feels nonexistent."  
  
"But you did do that whole cooking dinner thing yesterday." Willow pointed out.  
  
"And I'll never do it again." she took the stuffing out of the fridge and popped it in the microwave. "Do you have any stronger coffee?"  
  
"That bad, huh?"  
  
"I can't even think. What time is it?"  
  
"Four-thirty."  
  
"Holy shit."  
  
"Everyone else is still asl--"  
  
"What the HELL is that?" Buffy asked, referring to the loud banging on the girls' door.  
  
Willow, Max the Dog slippers and all, went to the door and answered it.  
  
"Angel!" Willow exclaimed. "It's sunny out."  
  
"Where's Buffy?" he burst into the apartment and smiled when he saw her. "Just sit here," he took her hand and tried to pull her to her feet.  
  
"No," she folded her arms across her chest. "Whatever you have to say to me, you can say in the kitchen."  
  
"All right." Angel set his laptop on the counter and clicked a few times. Music began coming from it and Buffy rolled her eyes.  
  
Until Angel began to sing.  
  
"A song isn't going to fix things," Buffy said when he was finished. "Not this time."  
  
"It's fixed it before?" Willow asked no one. She was the only other person awake, not that Buffy or Angel noticed her presence.  
  
Angel clicked on the laptop again and then knelt at Buffy's feet. "Just hear me out. Please."  
  
She sighed. "I really think it's too late this time."  
  
Angel ignored her and began to sing again.  
  
  
//This is the time of year  
That we learn to giveAnd the greatest gift of all  
Is learning to forgive.We will have the best time   
That we ever knewIf you forgive me   
And I forgive you\\  
  
  
"I can't do it," Buffy admitted. "I can't do it again, I can't rely on you to stay true to our relationship, I can't depend on you. I have no way of knowing that in a week or a month or even a year, you're not gonna freak out and make up some excuse for why we can't be together again."  
  
  
Angel kept right on singing.  
  
  
//I don't want to light a fireUnless it will warm your heartI'm playin' no holiday songsI need you to sing your partAnd baby if I could have   
Just one wish come trueI don't wanna spend one more Christmas without you\\  
  
  
"It's too late," Buffy whispered. "I'm sorry."  
  
She got up and started for the bedroom when Angel kept on singing, and his words stung her. She stood in the living room, stunned, trying to figure out the right thing to do.  
  
  
//It's so hard to believeWe're staring at the endWhen all we think about   
Is starting up againWhatever we lost  
When we were apartWe'll find it all alone in the dark\\  
  
  
"I can't," she sat down, and the tears started to come. Angel was already crying, and she remembered the last time she'd seen him cry.  
  
The forgotten day.  
  
Her tears dried and she was angry again.  
  
"Don't make me do this," she begged. "Don't make me remember how much I love you while I'm trying to hate you more than anyone in this world."  
  
Of course, in his usual annoying fashion, Angel kept on singing. Buffy began kneading a pillow with her fingers, and soon, it was full of holes from her fingernails scratching through the fabric.  
  
  
//I don't wanna light a fireUnless it will warm your heartI'm playin' no holiday songsI need you to sing your partAnd baby if I could have   
Just one wish come trueI don't wanna spend one more Christmas without you\\  
  
  
"Please," Buffy begged. "Please."  
  
"I'm begging too," Angel reminded her before attempting to sing a bridge.  
  
  
//There's nothing more that I want from youThen to lie here togetherAnd stay here forever with youThere's no one I ever knewThat I wanted to spend Christmas with, more than you\\  
  
  
Somehow, through all the anger and hate, Buffy felt her resolve melting. She walked slowly over to Angel and fell into his arms, clinging to his chest, sobbing opening as she kneed him in the groin.  
  
"Now *I* feel better," she told him, sniffling.  
  
  
//I don't want to light a fireUnless it will warm your heartI'm playin' no holiday songsI need you to sing your partAnd baby if I could have just one wish come trueI don't wanna spend one more Christmas without youI don't want to light a fireUnless it will warm your heartI'm playin' no holiday songsI need you to sing your partAnd baby if I could have just one wish come trueI don't wanna spend one more ChristmasI don't wanna spend one more ChristmasI don't wanna spend one more Christmas without you\\  
  
  
"So are you happy?" Willow asked a few hours later.  
  
"We're working on it," Buffy mumbled in between kisses. That was all she and Angel had done all evening, and it was getting annoying.  
  
*VERY* annoying.  
  
"How bout," Spike suggested while gnawing on a turkey leg, "We throw 'em out into the snow and that oughta cool their bloody asses off?"  
"I'm game if you are," Gunn opined.  
  
"You guys, we can't...." Willow looked at the couple, groping each other on the couch.  
  
"I'll get Buffy's right arm," she announced.  



End file.
